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During Tuesday's Elk County Commissioners meeting, Mike Rattay, project manager, said construction was completed in 1952. Its three main purposes were, and are, flood control, water quality and recreation.
Five years later, seepage was discovered and corrected, but since then it has been heavily monitored because the way the dam is built, the problem could occur again.
The dam was evaluated by the Army Corps of Engineers in 2007 and a more in-depth risk analysis was done in January 2008. It was determined that a seepage-related failure exists not only in the area where was a problem in 1957, but in other areas as well. Internal erosion could occur anywhere. In February 2008, the lake level was lowered 20 feet and the dam is being monitored 24 hours a day.
The Corps is looking at what it can do in the short term as well as in the long term and a dam safety study was done.
It is required to look at lowering the pool and taking out the dam, but Rattay said it has decided against those options. Three remaining options include an earthen extension, a concrete structure or a concrete cutoff wall.
The cutoff wall is preferable because it allows the dam to maintain its three main purposes, there would be limited environmental effects and economic impacts and the cost is less than the alternatives.
Lowering the pool permanently would only be a short-term fix. If the dam is removed, the surrounding communities would lose $53 million in annual benefits the dam provides in flood control for Ridgway and Johnsonburg and other areas as well as improved water quality and recreation.
The plan must be reviewed with engineers and an environmental review completed. Rattay said he hopes to submit the plan to headquarters by August.
He couldn't say how long final approval will take, but after approval, the next step is to get financing for it.
The $280 million will come from the federal government and could be a line item in the president's budget or from a fund set up for the Army Corp of Engineer dams.
There are 610 Corps dams and 10 are in worse shape than East Branch and 62 are in the same category. Only four of the dams in worst shape are under construction and only one other dam in East Branch's category is as far along in this process.
Although the cost to repair the dam may seem high, Mike McAllister, emergency management agency director, said "Fifty-three million dollars a year goes back into the communities because the dam exists." The dam has helped to prevent $330 million in downstream flood damage since it was built. The dam cost $9 million to build in 1957.
The Corps feels comfortable with the continued operation of the dam as long as the lower pool level is in place and it should be able to remain open through the construction, Rattay said.
Rattay said the Corps can not lobby on behalf of the project, but residents and elected officials can let legislators know how important the project is .
For more information on the project visit www.lrp.usace.army.mil/rec/lakes/ebdam_safety.htm.
For more information or to request a presentation on the project e-mail Eastbranch@usace.army.mil or call 965-2065.
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Reported by JoAnn Seltzer, staff writer. E-mail:jseltzer@thecourierexpress.com.
